- Belarusian fifth seed rallies from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3,. 6-4.
- It is her first Grand Slam victory.
- Players combined for 82 victories, 51 of which came from player’s racquet.
Aryna Sabalenka, the fifth-seeded Belarusian, overcame a set deficit to upset Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Australian Open 2023 women’s singles final, giving her her first Grand Slam victory.
The final was framed as a contest between two courageous aggressive players, which was how the match was advertised.
Ultimately, the players combined for 82 victories, 51 of which came from Sabalenka’s racquet, but the No. 5 seed’s unflappable performance during crucial moments proved to be the decisive factor.
At 3-3 in the third set, Sabalenka broke the tie with her third chance of the match. She then won the point with a midcourt overhead winner to take the lead.
She quickly ended the following game with an ace, her 16th of the match, giving her a 5-3 advantage. Rybakina, the Wimbledon winner from the previous year, held on to make it 5-4.
She took a few deep breaths before Sabalenka entered the court to complete the match. Sabalenka walked steadily to the court. Rybakina mishit a forehand long, allowing Sabalenka to win on her fourth match point, and she celebrated by falling on the floor.
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